Malaysia

Haze risk persists as Johan Setia records unhealthy air quality

Authorities warn that haze could return as Malaysia remains in the Southwest Monsoon until the end of September

Updated 1 hour ago · Published on 18 Aug 2026 9:11AM

Haze risk persists as Johan Setia records unhealthy air quality
Johan Setia in Selangor records an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 157 at 8am on Tuesday - August 18, 2026

JOHAN Setia in Selangor recorded an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 157 at 8am on Tuesday, as haze conditions continue to affect parts of the country.

Meanwhile, 64 air quality monitoring stations nationwide recorded moderate API readings, while Kedah, including Alor Setar and Langkawi, and Perlis recorded good air quality.

An API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality, while readings of 51 to 100 are considered moderate. Readings from 101 to 200 are classified as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy, and readings above 300 as hazardous.

API readings are updated hourly based on data collected from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide.

Haze conditions in the Klang Valley and Sarawak have improved in recent days following wetter weather, according to previous reports.

However, Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Ani said the country would remain under the Southwest Monsoon until the end of September, with the potential for haze to recur if open burning was not controlled.

The warning comes amid continued efforts to monitor air quality nationwide as dry conditions and uncontrolled open burning could contribute to a deterioration in air quality during the monsoon period. - August 18, 2026

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